Our People

Yvonne Field is the Founder and CEO of The Ubele Initiative. Yvonne has spent more than four decades working with individuals, groups and organisations across the UK, the English-speaking Caribbean, Asia, South Africa and mainland Europe. Her work with women, young people and Black and Minoritised communities has created a lifelong commitment to the promotion of social justice, equalities and anti-discriminatory practice.  

Michael's background is in community development and community action. His first jobs explored how the arts, and drama in particular could be used as tools to give voice to and uplift communities. Since then Michael has worked with the question of how the assist positive change in individuals and communities in many different working contexts.

Michael is responsible with the other directors of Ubele for the smooth functioning of the organisation. He carries the title of the 'lead on practice' which means that he explores what it means to be a Black learning organisation. He develops programmes that enable us to collectively reach understandings that can be shared with the world.

Michael can be found enjoying 'a full English' at cafes across South East London.

Philip started his career in NGOs and then race equality organisations in London. He has run a social enterprise delivering heritage and cultural projects for more than a decade. He is also the founder of health drink start up drinkfud.com.

Philip leads on Black Business Matters agenda promoting equity of opportunity for Black-owned businesses. He also supports on community wealth building and communications.

Philip can be found on Dragon's Den - you'll have to search it on Youtube to see how it went.

Karl has over 40 years experience of working in the field of teacher education and training, sport development, youth and community education. He's interested and involved in community-based research, evaluation and organisational leadership and development, internationally and across the UK.

Karl is responsible for overseeing the Erasmus+ programmes, Youth Futures Foundation research project, and GLA/Locality CCSaR research programme. He's also Pathways to Economic Opportunities grant programme external evaluator partner.

Karl can be found travelling through time and space in violation of the Temporal Accord, despite being a member of the Galactic Union.

Phil has 20 years experience of working with social and community enterprises and community assets across England, Europe, North Africa and South East Asia. He has a particular interest in sports social enterprises and asset-based community development.

Phil leads on the Community Wealth Building portfolio of projects within Ubele.

Phil can be found running for fitness and looking around a new place he is visiting.

Gina has acquired over 28 years experience predominantly in programme management office for capital and construction projects for Barclays Bank, Mouchel, BSKYB, NHS, Diocese of London. She is passionate about black minoritized organisations being successful in business.

Gina is currently supporting Ubele with the business operations across departments and is a member of the Senior Leadership Team. She has also worked on capacity building and grant funding programmes.

Gina can be found getting involved with organisations that are working with children and young people to aspire to greatness. Also loves music, dance and Arsenal.

After taking a science degree, John worked for 18 years as a technician in FE and HE. Following a mid-career management course, he moved on to become the deputy administrator of South London College and then spent 25 years in the Finance Department at Lambeth College. John retired from the College in 2015.

John has worked with Ubele since 2014, providing a full financial and management accounting facility.

John can be found on the sofa with a glass of wine after a day staring at spreadsheets.

Fatimatu has a Degree in English Literature and Education. She is experienced in project support that aids in a smooth and successful execution of the project. Her skills inculde the Salesforce CRM system and administration.

Fatimatu supports the smooth running of daily operations of the organisation. That includes being first point of contact for people who want to engage with the organisation, evaluating their request and ensuring it reaches the right person.

Fatimatu can be found in comedy clubs or drawing illustrations with a cup of chai latte.

Yvonne has 20 years of experience coaching, capacity building, training, and advising small businesses, solopreneurs, and community organisations in the UK and internationally across six continents to realise their potential. Her passion is in turning ideas into credible and sustainable businesses. She is also a published author.

Yvonne's role is in the recruitment, selection, training, support, and advice to those people who are selected onto the BMEDP programme.

Yvonne can be found trawling Instagram for new recipes to test out in her kitchen.

Aisha is a JNC qualified, Social Sciences, Community Development & Youth Work graduate and is currently undertaking a part-time MA in Migration & Diaspora Studies at SOAS. Aisha is committed to working to increase the leadership capacity of communities of diaspora in the UK and internationally.

Aisha manages the Young Emerging Leaders Collective, The Diaspora Kitchen, The Circles project and supports with Ubele’s Pan London projects and Bereavement support work. She utilises her experience in programme management, development, facilitation and fundraising in her various endeavours at Ubele.

Aisha can be found brunching with her friends and family.

Tishauna is passionate about working with Black and minoritized groups towards community wealth building.

Tishauna is a Social Entrepreneur with a diverse background having worked in the financial services sector, community development, and the agricultural sector. She completed a Masters Degree in Development Administration & Planning at UCL.

Participate in or lead the development of new initiatives from concept to pre-launch, including such activities as;

• Conducting relevant background research through literature, interviews, surveys and focus group activities

• Conducting post research analysis and developing conclusions with respect to needs, interests, risks, and viability.

Tish can be found listening to Ted Talk for hours.

Pauline has over 20 years' experience of working in the charity sector, including responsibility for leading the delivery of national innovation programmes for entrepreneurs, academics, public sector workers and civil servants. Her experience includes service design, business development, client management and community building.

Pauline currently oversees Rootz into Food Growing, a project which aims to challenge and disrupt the structural inequalities that exist within the current UK food growing sector. The project aims to build a pan-London network of BPOC growers, who will receive relevant capacity building and training opportunities enabling them to grow commercially.

Pauline can be found with her hands in the soil growing food and supporting community groups as a horticultural therapist.

Arlene has been trained in Teacher-education and has work experience in youth & community. She is skilled in Caribbean cultural-heritage tourism experiences and interested in travel and global artisanal works.

Arlene is a project manager and liaison for 81 Acts of Exuberant Defiance, our community, creative, legacy-arts and heritage project.

Arlene can be found sitting 'reasoning' with indigenous craftspersons/artisans under a tree, on a hot-sunshiny beach, somewhere in the world.

Competent consultant with over 40 years of lived experience working on issues that affect the African Heritage community in the UK and the diaspora. Ade has provided support to grassroots organisations and policy development for socialised businesses and community development. He's provides specialist expertise in community engagement strategies.

Ade is providing 1:1 support to community organisations and social businesses in the area of governance, financial management, project management, monitoring and evaluation, review of proposals, business planning and social impact. He facilitated fundraising webinars and developed resources contributing to different toolkits.

Ade can be found at the forefront of promoting and projecting African cultural thought and activity into the mix of integration strategies.

Deborah has worked in the fundraising sector for over 20 years, managing multi-purpose projects for disadvantaged communities. Her experience includes contract compliance, management of the delivery team, operational outputs, accreditation, sourcing and securing funding, reporting, learner retention, evaluation and monitoring quality of provision.

Deborah is working with charities/not for profit/social enterprises to deliver fundraising/business support and capacity building advice. She is a skilled researcher and funding bids writer.

Deborah can be found facilitating the Butterflies Drama Group.

An accomplished senior consultant with a collaborative leadership style. William is an adept at guiding organisations through their development phases providing technical support, website onboarding, marketing and strategic plans that lead to exceptional periods of growth.

William provides technical support to charities, social enterprises and NGO's.

William can be found travelling, sampling cuisine from around the world and salsa dancing.

Ezra is UK trained in education and social sciences. Key achievements: lead on national education reform in the UAE and Saudi Arabia; provision of bespoke professional development programmes for school leaders in the UK, Indonesia, and Dominica; thought leadership in Gender and Climate Change for UNDP.

Research and produce an UBELE Impact Assessment Report for 2021/2022.

Ezra can be found dancing to Zouk and Jazz music while pottering in her garden.